


One Finger Zen Stabilizes the Empire

by wickedsinflower



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Nen (Hunter X Hunter), Other, Plot Devices, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, Warnings May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28902987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedsinflower/pseuds/wickedsinflower
Summary: Kurapika never confronts Uvogin. Something has changed, and the Phantom Troupe must deal with something more crippling than a battle. Still, there are things that can never be forgiven and others who cannot forgive.
Kudos: 2





	One Finger Zen Stabilizes the Empire

**Author's Note:**

> A work in progress, new to the fandom- so if there's world building theories and canon things that I have missed, or if you like it-- I'm interested in feedback! Titles and chapters based off of Tai Chi and Kung Fu movements.

**Qǐshì; Preparation**

Kurapika was a violin string, taut, waiting to be plucked. The foyer of the recently evacuated apartment that had housed the vapid Neon was softly glimmering. The cream and false candlelight was an illusion of undisturbed serenity. Brown eyes on the door, a simmering heat of rage met with the constant cool of disciplined waiting.

Yet Uvogin never came. The door never opened. 

Waiting honed into desperation, too sharp to continue. 

Kurapika sighed and checked the phone that had rang about when their calculations projected the arrival of Uvogin. It was Gon- it could be important. Kurapika’s heart twitched- Gon had a habit of getting caught up in things, but Kurapika had worked hard to keep him and Killua separate from this.

They hesitated, hair falling over carefully brown eyes. A question borne from over thinking blindsided the anxious, solitary Kurta. ‘Do I want them separate because I want to protect them?’ the answer was uncomfortable and heavy, unacknowledged. Revenge for greed was a hunger best sated alone.

Kurapika shook their head, it wasn’t unusual to be out-strategized with an unfamiliar opponent. Uvogin could be working with others. From initial observation, that did not seem likely. There could be another direction taken. With Gon’s luck...

Kurapika pressed. It rang only once. “You called?” 

“Oh! Hi! Kurapika- it’s Gon.” 

“It seems so.” 

“Have you caught the-” 

The phone was snatched away. Killua was in the background berating Gon for speaking freely over the line. 

Leorio’s chuckle grew louder as he took the phone from the bickering pair, “Eyyy Kurapika, how’s it going?” 

Kurapika started to snap, ‘ _Not well_.’ A breath. A beat. Instead, Kurapika’s eyes closed and carefully asked, “Are you in trouble?” 

“No- money making schemes are on the up and up, just gotta find the right big fish... Have you caught a fish recently?” 

Kurapika debated, a fierce, quick, internal match. Leorio’s attempt at code was clumsy, but there was no evidence to suggest they were being tapped. “Fish are slippery. They’re not in their usual environment.” 

“Ohh- ahn. Hm.” Leorio confirmed like an old man, thinking. “I’ll be there soon, okay man? Give me a place to meet you.” 

Kurapika sighed. It _would_ be better to have support, but there was a growling response that struggled against common sense. It was too late, the timing was off- what if the Spiders sensed the decoy and the subsequent trap-- or was it a mis-judgement?

Kurapika sighed and clipped, “Give me five minutes to make sure of something then I’ll send you the location.” 

“Ahh yea-ey! Get off!” 

Gon’s voice again, “Kurapika, we’re your friends okay? Remember! We want to help.” 

Kurapika’s fist tightened, “I know.” The hang up button on the cell could not be pressed fast enough.

* * *

“Ooh, nice digs.” Leorio was looking around, likely calculating the rent and realty value of the Nostrade family's townhouse apartment. 

Assessing that the Troupe found the connection to the Nostrade family, they came to the address listed on the Hunter website. Nearing the door. Kurapika was on high alert. “Quiet.” 

It was unreasonable to assume that Spiders would not retaliate. 

Leorio’s thin triangular face pinched. He was chafing under the order, but he obeyed. Kurapika felt little relief as they were focused, trying to sense if there was any _nen_ use, or trap. As it had been in their approach-- there was nothing. 

Nothing, except for a small smear of blood on the inside of the door frame. Miniscule. Kurapika’s heart beat increased. They opened the door with a key obtained as the head of security for the Nostrade family. 

A window was open somewhere. Light fluttered as the breeze toyed with a thin curtain beyond view. The effect was eerie. The black gleam of blood covered the floor and wall. Awkwardly placed and still limbs that belied a whole body, branched into sight near overturned furniture. Obvious signs of a struggle. 

The hallway was narrow. The living room quarters were partially beyond a blind corner. Leorio sidled up to Kurapika, taking up a defensive position. They both stepped in, Leorio popping open the closet, spreading out to clear the corners and rooms. 

Kurapika’s eyes focused on the destruction. Two dead bodies, a chair with ties. Enough blood that explained the gruesome manner of death for two. Window forced open, screen missing.

Kurapika summarized to Leorio. “He came in through the window. The first one was dead after a throat grab. They were distracted. Then he held the other one against the wall.” 

Leorio asked, “He? You have an idea which one?” 

The finger and hand marks. The sheer brute force. “He’s an Enhancer. Uvogin.”

“And the chair?” 

Kurapika shot him an annoyed glance, “Someone else was here.” 

Leorio double checked the bedroom, grumbling, “I knew _that,”_

Kurapika’s mind flicked through scenarios. 

A smear of blood on the chair dribbled down onto the tasteful and ruined grey carpet. The door in combination with the chair suggested _someone had left_. 

Before or after? Kurapika’s gut told one story that opposed the evidence. It had to be before. The Phantom Troupe didn’t leave survivors if they could help it. 

The couch looked pushed- though the two bodies were nowhere near it. 

A third, tied up, previously held down by common thugs... struggled and escaped against a Spider? 

Leorio said with an air of frustrated regret, “No one else is here.” He paused for a beat and then dubiously asked, echoing Kurapika’s doubt, “Did they escape?” 

“We need to know what happened. He was here. Something changed his trajectory. I need more evidence.”

“No shit.” Leorio sighed. 

“The security footage in the hall.” Kurapika left immediately and Leorio followed. 

The security officer of the townhouse apartment buildings made a brief call. The guard was putting on a show of being lazy, but he was paid to be an illusion of cooperativeness. Kurapika diligently hid impatience. 

Though it did little good. Leorio was ticking, tapping his feet, shooting snide comments at the blank faced guard.

“Kurapika is the head of security, man! You weren’t even woken up from your nap and you let this happen!? They had a person tied up in there!” Leorio waved his arms down the hall then switched to gesturing at Kurapika “You’re lucky he’s even here-" He pointed aggressively at the guard who looked bored, "-doing _your_ job!” 

Kurapika slapped Leorio gently with the back of the unchained hand, “Leorio, stop.”

Leorio’s thin nostrils flared, but he shoved his glasses up the long bridge of his nose to try to restrain an accusation. It was clear anyway in his thinned lips and demeanor. The Nostrade family was despicable, and that this was a dangerous pretense his friend was playing at.

Kurapika’s eyebrows laxed, just slightly. ‘ _I know_ ’ 

Kurapika needed the connection to these reprehensible gangsters, but Leorio was simple and had an admirable moral code. It was not a comfortable reminder, but it was assuring, like standing on something solid.

The unnervingly high voice of the security guard broke Leorio and Kurapika’s eye contact. “Alright, you got it boss.” The man hung up the phone and rubbed his jowls. He stood up and adjusted his shirt against the hard fat of his belly. 

“Right well, when you two are done.” The guard lumbered to the door, casting a disinterested hand gesture to beckon the two of them forward. 

It was a good pretense if one didn’t know what they were looking for. 

Kurapika settled in and pulled up the footage of the hall, Leorio leaned over, placing a hand on the side of the desk to watch the footage intently. 

Kurapika stiffened at his proximity, but didn’t tear eyes away from the footage. 

The two dead men led a much smaller figure between them for a brief half second. Footage obviously erased, and it was hard to make out the identity. They disappeared but whoever cut the footage missed the door clicking shut. 

Leorio asked, “Hmm- those were our guys, right? Where did they go?” He had missed it. 

Kurapika slid an accusing gaze at the guard who mimed confusion. 

The guard held out meaty hands, and asked the picture of droll innocence. “Dunno. Where did they go?” 

Leorio swung back, likely to glare at the guard. Huffing and muttering curses, he hunched in tighter over Kurapika, displeased.

Kurapika bristled as Leorio’s heated breath and foul language puffed against an ear. 

“Leorio, could you… back up?” It was distracting. 

Leorio instead pointed, his long finger touching the screen- “There! A broken arm, displaced shoulder, liaisons likely on the inner thigh and leg.” 

Kurapika paused. Caught in the reflection of the window in the lobby hall a relatively petite figure limped from the room. Taller than Gon and Killua, shorter than Leorio.

Kurapika leaned in. Time stamp was well after the call from when Gon first rang. Rewinding to footage and slowing it down showed that there was, for a brief second, a shadow on the wall of the hallway. 

It was Uvogin’s silhouette. Unmistakable.

Kurapika felt like a drink of water had been snatched away after a long walk in the desert. 

* * *

~oOo~

**Zuǒyòu Yémǎ Fēnzōng; Part the Wild Horse’s mane**

Uvogin leaned against the pillar. Covering his face was pointless. Numb. Depletion of his _nen_ was depressive.

He could barely move. Hiding this weakness would only draw attention to it. 

Feitan was cleaning his tools, having finished with the Shadow Beast- his eyes flicked over and returned to his task.

The rest of the troupe hadn’t felt or heard him come in. A small amount of confusion rustled the group in hair raising acuity. 

Nobu cried out, “Uvo! You’re back!” His faint smile was tremulous. Uvogin felt that small tremble like a vice around his chest. 

Uvogin opened his mouth to brush it off and a small wheeze escaped him. 

The miasma he had spent the walk mentally shoving back with all his concentration rose up with a vengeance- dragging him under. He was being crushed. Drowning. 

Machi opened her eyes, having been seated along the far wall. Pakunoda, Franklin, and Phinks were resting but with one eye open. Hisoka stopped flipping playing cards in his hand.

Uvogin tried to bolster himself. His muscles rebelled. The single thread of frustration arose. It was tenuous amidst an overwhelming ocean, but it felt familiar and was nearly magnetic. 

He latched on to it. It was habit. A reflex built out of training, years of seeking strength in anger and rage. He had only experienced the burn once before, so his reminding thought was too late. 

His veins constricted like ice and razored like fire, his _nen_ ripping through him. 

He sank heavily to his knees and his jaw tightened like being volted.

“Uvo!” Nobunaga cried, as Machi appeared by Uvogin’s side. 

Machi’s voice was quick, sharp, “There’s something wrong with his nen-” 

“Yeah! But his body- it’s shaking, there’s… what happened?” Nobunaga demanded. Nobunaga’s hand neared Uvogin’s shoulder. Uvogin felt that familiar comfort and kinship whenever Nobu was near, and it rose with nausea. 

Feitan asked, “The chain dude?” 

Uvo felt his voice leak out, rusted, his throat gripped in a bruising tightness and a flash of how he gripped throats before ripping them out overlaid. He felt, rather than saw a family member he had never met sob, a phone in their hand. “N-n-oo.” 

His voice echoed their cries in his head and he futilely tried beating it out of his head. Machi’s hand stopped him.

“The chain dude couldn’t have done this.” Feitan was analytical, but the undercurrent of anger spiked. 

Hisoka hmmed, near the window, interest piqued. Damn bastard.

Phinks sounded like he was at a loss, “I told Franklin to snatch me some vodka- he needs more liquor?” 

Franklin grunted, getting up.

“It’s- not,” Uvogin gritted out. The worms crawling around him were nothing compared to this. 

Pakunoda stated, “Who?”

Nobunaga bit out, “He can’t!” 

Pakunoda’s flats clicked against the floor, “Let me?” 

Uvogin felt shame and hate well up- weak, he was weak, but he couldn’t explain. Complex thought was beyond him. 

Pakunoda’s energy swept along his skin- she was nervous, afraid, otherwise she wouldn’t have been so sloppy. Besides, he already knew what she was capable of. That trust needled him like Feitan’s knives.

“He was hunting the chain user- but found...He found her tied up at the Nosterade estate. It was a… woman. No name. He didn’t get it.”

The troupe looked to each other. Hisoka was nearly giggling, "Have you forgotten? Phones." 

They called. 

Leader was quiet for a moment, “Reverse it.” He was decisive. “Find her- see if she has a connection to the chain user. Machi? Shalnark?’ 

“I’ll try.” Machi huffed. 

Nobunaga, crouched down to look at Uvo in the eye reassuringly. 

His head was too heavy. He could not meet his eyes.


End file.
